As a Skilled Worker visa holder, your primary focus is the sponsored job that forms the basis of your immigration status. However, the UK immigration rules provide a degree of flexibility, allowing you to take on additional work under specific conditions. This is known as ‘supplementary employment’. Understanding these rules is crucial to ensure you remain compliant with your visa conditions and do not inadvertently break the law.
This guide provides a clear and detailed explanation of the supplementary work rules. Our team of specialist immigration advisors offers expert advice on this topic, helping you understand what additional work you are permitted to do and what steps you must take if you plan to take on a more substantial second role.
Understanding the Basics: Overtime and Your Sponsored Job
First, it is important to distinguish between overtime and a second job.
- Overtime: You can work as many hours of paid overtime as you and your sponsoring employer agree upon in the job for which you are sponsored. There is no limit on overtime, and you do not need to inform the Home Office or update your visa.
The Rules for a Second Job: The 20-Hour Supplementary Work Rule
You can take on a second job, or even do work for your own business, for up to 20 hours per week in addition to your main sponsored job, provided you meet a strict set of criteria.
To be eligible for supplementary employment, you must:
- Continue working in your sponsored job. The supplementary work must be in addition to, and not a replacement for, your primary employment.
- Work no more than 20 hours per week in the second job.
- Ensure the second job meets a specific skill-level requirement.
Skill Level Requirement for the Second Job
Your additional work must be in an occupation that is either:
- On the Immigration Salary List (ISL) (previously the Shortage Occupation List).
- In the same occupation code and at the same professional level as your main sponsored job.
- An eligible occupation code that is classified as a ‘higher skilled’ job.
Important Restriction: You generally cannot take on supplementary work in a role that is classified as ‘medium skilled’. An exception exists for those who were first sponsored before 22 July 2025, under transitional arrangements.
What Happens if You Want to Work More Than 20 Hours in a Second Job?
If you have an offer for a second job that requires you to work more than 20 hours per week, you cannot treat this as simple supplementary employment. This situation requires a formal application to the Home Office.
- You Must Update Your Visa: You are required to submit an application to update your Skilled Worker visa.
- A Second Sponsor is Required: Your second employer must hold a sponsor licence and assign you their own Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the second job.
- The Second Job Must Qualify: The second job itself must meet all the standard Skilled Worker eligibility requirements, including the skill level and salary threshold.
- The Application Process: You will need to submit a full new visa application, including a letter explaining that you are seeking permission to add a second job to your existing visa.
- Successful Outcome: If your application is approved, you will be issued a new visa that explicitly gives you permission to work for both of your sponsoring employers.
Unpaid Voluntary Work
The Skilled Worker visa also permits you to undertake unpaid voluntary work. This is distinct from employment and has its own rules. The voluntary work must be for a registered charity, a voluntary organisation, or a statutory body (like a government-appointed heritage organisation), and you can only be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, such as travel costs.
Why Expert Advice on Supplementary Work is Crucial
Working outside the terms of your visa is a serious breach of UK immigration law and can have severe consequences, including the cancellation of your visa and a ban on returning to the UK. Before you take on any additional work, it is vital to be certain that you are compliant.
Our expert immigration advisors will:
- Assess your proposed second job against the supplementary employment rules.
- Confirm if the role’s skill level and occupation code are compliant for up to 20 hours of work per week.
- Advise you on the correct procedure if your second job requires a full visa update application.
- Provide complete peace of mind that you are working in full compliance with your visa conditions.
Don’t risk your immigration status. Before taking on a second job, contact our specialist Skilled Worker visa team today for a comprehensive consultation.
About the Author:
Farzad Ghods is an international lawyer specialising in UK immigration law. He is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Immigration Advisors Authority (IAA) in the United Kingdom, and is also a member of the Iran Bar Association. He brings over fourteen years of professional legal experience to his practice.